Rājshāhi, Rajshahiformerly Rampur Boalia, city, west-central Bangladesh. It lies just north of the upper Padma River (Ganges [Ganga] River)River. Selected It was selected by the Dutch in the early 18th century as the site of a factory (trading post) , it and was constituted a municipality under the British in 1876. Now an industrial centre, it produces silk, matches, timber, and processed agricultural products. It has a hospital, several public hospitals, dozens of private hospitals and clinics, the Varendra Research Museum, a sericulture (silk-cultivation) institute, and the University of Rājshāhi Rajshahi (1953)and eight affiliated colleges, and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (1986).

To the northwest of Rājshāhi Rajshahi lies an the elevated and undulating Bārind Barind region; to the south is the high, well-drained Padma Valley; and a swampy depression carries off drains the drainage of the land in the immediate vicinity of the city. The Among the chief crops in the area are rice, wheat, jute, pulses, and sugarcane. The region’s sericulture accounts for almost the entire silk output of Bangladesh. Other cottage Cottage industries include weaving, metalworking and woodworking, and pottery. The region is believed to have formed part of the old Puṇḍra, or Pauṇḍravardhana Pundra (or Paundravardhana) kingdom, the country of the Pods, whose capital was at MahāsthānMahasthan. Pop. (19812001) city388,171,600811.